Sneed: ‘Pop Jimmy’s’ Chicago family

Follow @sneedlings

// <![CDATA[

!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+'://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js';fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, ‘script’, ‘twitter-wjs’);

// ]]>

The Carter file

“Pop Jimmy.”

That’s what former President Jimmy Carter, 90, who just announced he has a spreading cancer, is called by six-year-old Will Foley — whose grandfather, PR maven Rick Jasculca, is this/close to the elder statesman.

Carter “is one of the heroes of my life,” said Jasculca, who has served as Carter’s advance man throughout the world.

“But more than that, he is considered a member of our family!”

“He taught my grandson Will how to fly fish and we were with him swapping fly fishing stories a week before the actual surgery to remove the mass from his liver,” added Jasculca, who claimed Carter “looked great and was in phenomenal spirits.”

“All my kids and grandkids went down to visit him. You have to be pretty close for my grandkids to call him Pop Jimmy.”

Jasculca, who has accompanied Carter to more countries than he can count, said, “Because of his family’s history with pancreatic cancer [Carter lost his father, two sisters and brother to the disease], he lives a very healthy lifestyle.”

“He’s a really active guy; a runner for years as well as a tennis player, he takes care of himself and has always been careful about what he eats.

“Sadly, the one thing you can’t control is your genetics.”

Follow @sneedlings

// <![CDATA[

!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+'://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js';fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, ‘script’, ‘twitter-wjs’);

// ]]>

Jasculca, co-owner of the Jasculca Terman PR firm, claims Carter “always gets up at the crack of dawn; goes for a daily swim; only eats a piece of dry toast and coffee for breakfast — and is constantly, but politely, telling hotel managers all over the world not to send up huge complimentary breakfasts because he doesn’t want to waste food.”

“I have to admit this announcement is concerning, but he is indomitable. He starts treatment next week.”

“When you consider what this man has learned and done in the past 90 years, it is amazing,” added Jasculca.

“He is one of the most remarkable people on this earth when it comes to humanitarianism, human rights and conflict resolution, not to mention fighting intractable diseases!”

“He can talk farming as well as nuclear submarines . . . and, of course, fly fishing with a 6-year-old who calls him Pop Jimmy.”

Get well, Mr. President.

The Fiorina file

Dateline: The scrivener’s line . . . Did you know GOP presidential hopeful Carly Fiorina, who finds leading GOP contender Donald Trump’s behavior tedious, writes her own speeches?

Now you do.

The Fioretti file

Dateline: The employment line . . . Sneed hears former Ald. Bob Fioretti, who unsuccessfully ran for mayor, was spotted chatting about his political future with supporters in the back room of Piccolo Sogno Due last Thursday.

• Word is Fioretti may have his eye on State Sen. Patricia Van Pelt’s job.

Downton blabby

Actress Maggie Smith, 80, one of the “Downton Abbey” stellars, tells the Brit press she intends to finally watch the hit PBS series once it ends.

• Translation: She hasn’t watched any of the episodes yet.

• P.S. Did you know a “Downton Abbey” film is being floated as a possibility by the producers? Now you do.

I Spy

The Los Angeles Angels’ Mike Trout dined at Hugo’s Frog Bar on Tuesday . . . Former NFL star Vince Young dined at Gibsons on Wednesday . . . as did former Detroit Lion Ndamukong Suh, who stopped by with the entire defensive line of his new team, the Miami Dolphins.

Sneedlings

Actors Jeremy “Avengers: Age of Ultron” Renner and Burt “Smokey and the Bandit” Reynolds are hitting the Wizard World Comic Con Aug. 20-23 in Rosemont . . . Friday’s birthdays: Earvin “Magic” Johnson, 56; Halle Berry, 49, and Steve Martin, 70.

Follow Sneed on Twitter: @Sneedlings

Tweets by @Sneedlings

// <![CDATA[

!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+"://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script”,"twitter-wjs”);

// ]]>